The present invention generally relates to a motor vehicle having a covering part which is held in position at an adjacent body part by snap connections.
In a motor vehicle as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4 354 566, a covering part is held in position at the body by an additional fastening element. The fastening element, on the one side, is fixed at the body part by means of a clips connection and, on the other side, has snap hooks which engage in recesses of the covering part.
This arrangement has the disadvantage that, as a result of the separate fastening elements, the mounting and fastening of the covering part is expensive. Since the recesses for the snap hooks have a much larger height than the base sections of the snap hooks, it may happen that, as a result of the aging of the plastic material, rattling noises occur between the fastening element and the covering part.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective fastening of a covering part at an adjacent part of the body, with an easy mounting and a simple construction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a long-term secure rattle-free connection which is provided between the covering part and the body part.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, these and other objects are achieved by fastening the cover part to the body part by snap hooks, molded on the body part, which engage recesses of the cover part without the need for any additional fastening elements. Other characteristics, which develop the invention advantageously, will be evident as the present description proceeds.
The main advantages achieved by the present invention are that, by means of the direct fastening of the covering part at the body part, the mounting is facilitated considerably and the costs are reduced by the absence of the requirement of the additional fastening element. The elastically flexible web, which delimits the recess, ensures an easy mounting and a secure rattle-free seat of the covering part.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.